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October 10, 2023 • 51 mins

Will Selva and MJ Acosta-Ruiz are back for another episode of El Huddle podcast! Week 5 of the NFL season is in the books and MJ is in London! First, our hosts talk about MJ's time in London and the how she's been enjoying it. Next, Will speaks with Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos, about what it's like to be the first Brazilian born player to play in the NFL, his mindset when he's taking a big kick and why the Colts were such an important team in his life. Finally, we give out our Perro Macho y Platano Power!

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:05):
And Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership
with Iheartradioquito Get It.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Robertson, letil a big weekend on Monday and night in
Las Vegas as the Raiders end up taking care of
business against the Packers.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
We are taking care of business right here on the
l Huddle podcast. What's up everybody? What's good?

Speaker 4 (00:44):
I'm will Selva, my Prima, my Ermana, my Prima Rmana,
m J. Casa Ruiz joining us at night at the
time of this de morny because she.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
Is in London, in Londress. How's it been. You were
at the game between the Bills and the Jags.

Speaker 5 (01:01):
Come on, let's the game. Let's start with the game,
because I think that's for sure been the highlight of
the trip so far. Everything has been fab thought the
game was as close to playoff atmosphere as you can get.
The NFL UK fans showed up and showed out. There
were over sixty one thousand people at Tottenham Stadium on

(01:24):
Sunday for Jaguars Bills. That is the largest crowd that
has ever been at Tottenham and in my opinion, La
Mas the loudest by far that I have ever heard
in a regular season game. It was incredible. I mean
I got chills looking around, and of course, yes, I
think we remember from a couple of years back and
last year at the London game, certainly it's like wow,

(01:46):
you could see all these different jerseys right, like a
lot of jersey's coming from everywhere, but the Bills were
the home team, and the Bills fans in attendance really dominated,
like there was.

Speaker 3 (01:57):
An really Bill's mafia last lots.

Speaker 5 (02:01):
Of Bills mafia, yes, and a lot of folks who
traveled from the US expecting more like European fans, and
it was mostly not mostly, but a good contingent of
American fans who did travel over for these games. So
it was like a beautiful mix of both of them.
It was really really exciting, very cool.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
What did you think of the theory that the Bills
came to London on a Friday, played on a Sunday
and now they seem to be not as acclimated as
they could have with the thinking being, hey, we'll be
there a short amount of time and then leave. You've
been there, you've experienced the jet lag and the change.

(02:40):
How real is that? Because the Bills offense looked like
it was sleepwalking when the game started, in almost for
most of the game.

Speaker 5 (02:49):
No question. I think I believe that it did play
a big role, right. I think if you asked somebody
in the locker room, they might say something different. But
I'm in the middle of that jet lag right now,
and I got here I think a day before, if
not right around the same times that the Bills did.
And it's serious. I mean, halfway through that game, I
was in game hosting and my co host for the day, Sam,

(03:11):
who's the Olympic gold medal She's just unbelievable. I looked
at her at one point and she looked me, strading
the eyes. She's like, you're right. That's the things I
hear in London. You're right. And I was like, Sis,
I don't know, I don't know if I am, I'm
struggling real hard. I would have killed for a Cuban
coffee like Pasitho would have helped me out tremendously or not.

(03:34):
It was just, you know, you get to a point
where you're so sleepy there's nothing you can do, and
I couldn't at that point. We were halfway through the game,
so I couldn't really walk around and I was sort
of tethered to her spot on the sideline. Oh man,
it was tough.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
That's rough.

Speaker 5 (03:49):
So I only imagine having to go full speed against
other gigantic men in the middle of the football game.
It's a lot. I think there's a lot to be
said for the jet lag. And mind you, the Bills
had way less jet lag than I did because I
was coming from the West coast, right, So like, it's
a lot, it's a lot, and I would imagine that
for the Jaguars that was a tremendous advantage having been

(04:11):
here an extra week for sure.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
Well, you mentioned the fans and who was there, and
I was expecting to see a lot of different jerseys
because on TV you'll see a kittle or a deboy,
and it seemed to be like like almost a kaleidoscope
of the jerseys. Definitely was the Jacksonville contingent. Did you

(04:34):
see like how well they were, how boisterous they were
given the fact that they seemed to be like their
defecto home team based out of.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
There, No question, I mean that was like the funny
part right when the Jags did something great, it was
crazy loud, when the Bills did something great, it was
crazy loud. If we were just singing a song or
doing a call out on this double screen, it was
crazy loud. So there was a huge amount of Jaguars fans,
and of course many of them had been there since
the week before. Many more going on, but a lot
of Bills fans as well. But there was a mix

(05:04):
of everything. I mean, I saw every Jersey you can
think of. You already know my Dolphins have a huge
contingent here, and there were a lot of Patriots fans,
a lot of uh we saw a ton of Niners fans.
The Niners actually had a watch party here in London.
Joe Daley came you remember.

Speaker 3 (05:20):
Joe oh Dupe of course, yeah.

Speaker 5 (05:22):
So he flew over and was hosting a bunch of
forty nine Ers fans as well. So there was a
mix of everything, but it was nice to see that
at the game the two teams that were actually on
the field were boisterously represented by the fans that were
here in the UK.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
Now, are you going to be like my parents? I
don't know if your prayers were like this, but every
time they go to a hotel they would take all
like the little soaps and all like the little uh
you know, conditioners and shampoo. Are you like that or no?

Speaker 5 (05:51):
Now, first of all, I can't even use the shampoo
and conditioners in the hotels because I'm a hair snob.
So if they don't have safe ingredients, if they're not free,
so I flipped the bottle over. I'm like, Nope, you
can't use it. Ninety nine percent of the time they're
useless to me. But no, there they actually have full
size with sparir noick Spith full size toiletrees.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Yeah, al right, No. One of the things that I saw.
Following you on Instagram is always such a treat because
I feel like I'm living vicariously through you. Maybe the
coolest thing was hearing everybody saying sweet carrots. Oh my gosh,
how electric was the atmosphere when that was happening.

Speaker 5 (06:31):
I mean, do we have it? Can we hear it?
For a second? As everybody understands our girl Colleen pulled
her into it as well. Very Stones Drew did not

(06:53):
want to join in all this thing along because they
thought it was going to be bad.

Speaker 3 (06:56):
Luck MJD would be that way.

Speaker 5 (07:00):
But oh my goodness, they love this song, love it
love it. You don't have to prompt them. They know
exactly what to do. They know every single word. It
was awesome, like every single person what's funny is And
I probably shouldn't get them in trouble by saying BIPs,
but they were like two on field security. Great security,
of course, but they're like very serious, right, like trying

(07:21):
to focus on what's going on. And I looked over
and even they were trying to like forcing themselves not
to sing the song right because it's just catchy everybody.
That was like the unbelievable atmosphere. That was something I'll
never forget. So as in game hosts, I was the
one who had to start the single on and I
was like, please come, I mike the second IQ the song,

(07:42):
like let's not we don't want people to run out
of the stadium that what.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
Was was your heart? Was your heart beating a little
bit faster. I mean, I know you're a natural talking
in front of people, so that that big of a deal,
but did it feel a little bit like Okay, yeah,
it's different.

Speaker 5 (07:55):
I'm like, these folks don't know me here, right, They're like,
this is this American girl? Like but they I mean
the fans here were unbelievable, so welcoming. They were so
kind and nice, and I think the fear sometimes, especially
when you're on a jumbo tron, is if you have
a prompt or you're like asking a question, I'm like,
what if nobody.

Speaker 3 (08:12):
Answers me right, right, right, it's just quiet.

Speaker 5 (08:16):
But it wasn't like that at all. Everybody was really
really engaged. It was awesome.

Speaker 3 (08:20):
How does it compare to the game in Mexico City.

Speaker 5 (08:24):
Oh, very different, very different, but equally as powerful, right,
two very different vibes. Of course, there's completely different countries.
But I would say, like esadi Wa, stick out literally
vibrates right in the energy of the fans, and so
the top them for sure.

Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah. And now we have the Ravens and the Titans.
We're going to be playing on NFL Network and that
game is going to be again there in London, those
teams having to travel do the same thing, seeing if
their method works or not. Both of those teams coming
off of losses. We saw the Ravens after their we

(09:03):
you would call off as of explosion against the Browns,
really came down to earth against the Steelers, and it
seemed a little bit like that offense step back with
Lamar Jackson and the receivers, and then you had the Titans,
who then lost a divisional game to the Colts, and
then here comes big bed King Henry and then here
comes Lamar Jackson. What can you tell us about that

(09:27):
match of from just being there and what we can expect.

Speaker 5 (09:32):
I think it's going to be a really physical game, right,
despite you know, the time difference, despite the jet lag
that they may be experiencing. We know both of these
teams to be very, very physical, to be very fast
paced in their play. So I think it's going to
be a different kind of game than what we saw
last week with the Daguars and the Bills. But I'm

(09:54):
really curious. I'm actually heading out to their practices later
this week to just see them in person. And they're
a little bit removed from like the main city, right
there's really no space for americ to Practicia. Yeah, there
a little bit further out, but you get to see
a little bit of the countryside of the UK. But
it's it's always interesting to see them acclimate and most
of the players. Last year, when I was talking to

(10:15):
the Packers players when they were here for that Giants
Packers game. They told me the same thing, like they
all just try to focus in as if they were
state side, right, And I think the league does a
very good job that most of the teams are either
coming off of a game on the East Coast or
are based in the East Coast, so that it's not
as bad. It's almost like going from New York to
San Francisco or New York to La type of deal.

(10:36):
But even that like really affects you because while the
flight may be the same amount of hours, the time
difference is not sure sure so was it a whole day?
So I'm very curious to see these type of physical
teams adjust to having to deal with Also the Jella.

Speaker 3 (10:56):
Yeah wow, love the insight, Love the fact that you
were there pretty much minus so jealous, but love going
on your ig and seeing what you're doing over there.
Looks like you were having an absolute blast.

Speaker 5 (11:09):
And by the by the way, Will and I'm not
passing you up here. I had several people ask me
about you. We did a ban evet yes at Battista
Park and they said they love the huddle. Podcaster are like,
we're right, they don't want They're like, we're and I
can't even say it. With their accident, it was so cute.
They're like more as well, tell we love them. I

(11:30):
was like, man, look at us reaching like all the
way across the pond. So I just wanted to know, Ah,
that awesome.

Speaker 3 (11:35):
That honestly makes my day because we wonder sometimes it's listening.
When do they listen? How do they listen? As long
as they're listening, that's the important thing. And we want
to take this thing global too, and it sounds like
we're doing it. So let's go up. I love it.
A little bit later on you and I will be
talking about Perro Machoso coming up. Got a great guest,

(11:59):
Bears kicker Guy Santos. Can we talking to him about
what it's like being in that pressure cooker situation and
all our first Brazilian born player.

Speaker 6 (12:10):
To play in the NFL and me up on the
l Huddle podcast.

Speaker 7 (12:28):
Yeah, my name is Kyra Santos. I'm Brazilian and I
played for the Chicago Bears. Part of the Brazilian culture
that has always been with me is how warm we
are towards the people in our circle. We always love
to be around our loved ones. What I'm most proud

(12:49):
of that's unique to the Brazilian culture is that we
are born to play soccer. That's still my number one
passion to go and watch soccer games on my off time,
and even a football game because I'm more interested in
the kicking part. Since I came the first Brazilian to
play in the NFL, I've noticed the hunger in the

(13:09):
Brazilian viewers ultimately having a game, a preseason game or
a regular season whatever that is. I would love for
Brazil to be the next destination. I ran campus every
off season in Brazil and that was a huge success,
and it's something that reminded me every year just how
big of a role model, you know, I became since
I went to the league. It's so gratifying to see

(13:29):
with a kid, you know, telling those things, they get
it and they just want to start doing the right
things as well.

Speaker 3 (13:42):
Yes, we are joined by Bears kicker Kaya Santos. Welcome
to the l huddle, Familia Cairo muil brigado.

Speaker 8 (13:55):
Jnada.

Speaker 9 (13:57):
I speak a little Portagnol, so I get I get
it mixed up with My wife jokes that I say
that I speak Spanish, but she was like no, he
just speak Portuguese was a Spanish accent.

Speaker 8 (14:10):
No, but it's a pleasure. Thanks for having me.

Speaker 9 (14:13):
Awesome to be on the show with you guys.

Speaker 3 (14:15):
Absolutely, that's the only bit that I even know. So
I knew that you were going to come on and
that you know about hel and Brazil and there's a
certain way to pronounce you know both of those right
And out of curiosity, do you have any teammates with
the Bears that ask you, Hey, Kiro, can you get

(14:36):
up with some some verbs, some some words?

Speaker 9 (14:42):
Actually, yeah, there's a couple of guys that went down
in Brazil that Claypool was one of the eq They
were going in the en the summer. So they hit
me up for like, okay, we're are the destinations? What
I what are some words that I should know? But
before them, I feel like every team I've been with
they that's like when they learned a little bit about

(15:03):
about my background, that's like first couple questions is how
you know the soccer?

Speaker 8 (15:09):
Have you met theymar? How are the women? And how
the food?

Speaker 9 (15:12):
You know, those stereotypical things.

Speaker 8 (15:15):
That Brazilian are known for. They hit me up with that.

Speaker 3 (15:19):
Well, you had mentioned in that vignette that you just
heard and that obviously audiences can see as well. And
you'd mentioned about soccer being something that you're really passionate
about in Brazil. That is what it's about, the beautiful
game football, right. What are some of those outside of

(15:42):
of soccer, What are some of those cultural experiences or
touches that you bring with you that remind you of Brazil.

Speaker 9 (15:56):
Like I said in the earlier my video, like I
think something that's the Brazilians are known for, Like it's
just how warm we are, you know, every new part
that we need is like hugs and kisses. It's like
every time where we see teammates in the locker room,
it's it's like, you know, you hug a lot.

Speaker 8 (16:13):
And you just celebrate with each other a lot, and you're.

Speaker 9 (16:16):
So I think when when we're finding it, and I
find it difficult sometimes because I feel like a kicker
is so isolated from the rest of the team. There
are meetings most of the time, and we're just having
free time and walking around the building and during games
we're just kind of you know, waiting for our time

(16:37):
to go in and mostly watching the games. So, uh, I.

Speaker 8 (16:43):
Want to go celebrate with them more. I want to, like,
you know.

Speaker 9 (16:46):
Put out that energy, that Brazilian energy. But at the
same time, I know I have to keep my head
uh you know, very very stable to not get uh
you know, lose my focus during games and stuff. So
it's just like the balance that I try to you know,
step in and out of a lot because of madly
I want to know, just jump up and down and

(17:07):
celebrate and enjoy, you know, just being around with the
Like I said, people that I love our circle.

Speaker 3 (17:15):
Yeah, we've talked about our families a lot on this podcast.
You know, it's almost we need thos, right, We're family
and that's what it's all about. And it sounds like
that you've brought that as well to your home and
you try to bring that into the locker room. But
your your job is unlike any other job on the

(17:36):
football team. It's really one of those things where I
feel like kickers get this bad rap because when they're needed,
it's an absolute five alarm fire and if it doesn't
go well, you take all the criticism. How do you
handle that pressure with the advent of social media and

(17:59):
all these other shows that are out there that really
criticize is your every kick when you're out there.

Speaker 9 (18:10):
Yeah, I think, Uh, I think something I'm trying to
think is like I think the opinion that you have
of yourself it should always be higher than the appear
of the outside world. Like I think that when I'm
kicking well and I do happen to miss a kick
here and there, which I understand, it is just it's
just naturally. You know, it's very hard to be absolutely perfect,

(18:32):
something that you strive for day in day out in
your practice, but you know you're never going to get
there because the craft is just is very difficult to
you know, there's there's a snap to hold, the blocking way,
there are so many valiants that that could affect your job.
But I think I always think that as long as
I feel like I'm putting the work, I'm kicking well

(18:53):
a practice for several practices in a row like that,
that's the opinion I'm going to have myself. So whatever
have or happen to have, you know in the game
where whatever happened, I just know that that's not you
know that that's not going to define the kicker I am,
because the kicker I am is the kicker that knows

(19:14):
kicking well and stuff, So I don't let that those moments.
But obviously you know out the outside world is the
only as good as your last kick. So then you
major last kick or the last game was great, you're
the best kicker ever in or if you missed a
kick in a game that in the only one kick away,
it's like, okay, these guys done. Uh So, like we

(19:38):
all understand bad.

Speaker 8 (19:39):
But I think it is just as.

Speaker 9 (19:40):
Long as you're confident with your word, that's that's the
only thing that you should be focused about. Or to
think of yourself as that guy.

Speaker 3 (19:51):
You have obviously the physical ability and gift to be
a kicker that has had this thriving nine year career
in the league. When you are in a packs stadium,
the lights are on, it's the end of the half,
end of the game, you get called upon. What is

(20:11):
your mental process to get you ready as you are
in the moment to make the kick.

Speaker 10 (20:20):
So something that I think is a secret to my
success is that I rehearse a routine for every kick
during practice and then when he gets to a game,
I just think about just go step by step on
that checklist of your what you rehearsed on your routine,
and then once you start doing that, it's like you

(20:40):
forget about everything on the outside of your.

Speaker 8 (20:43):
The bubble that you're thinking about.

Speaker 9 (20:46):
And then that starts, and it was like okay, like
you know, it's a third down, and no, I know
that if we don't convert.

Speaker 8 (20:53):
It can be inside of range. It could be a
fuel goal.

Speaker 9 (20:55):
So that starts with when I look at the coach
and he calls fuel goal, that starts my routine and
I do that in practice. Now I go up to
the sideline by myself from practice or with the snapper holder,
and we rehearse that routine, like okay, coach called field goal,
let's run onto the field. There's a play clock. I
use the play clock to get ready to you know,

(21:16):
I go at a certain number. I'm at play clock
just that you know, so I'm not either starting too
soon or too late. I know that I have that
to to kind of use as a trigger to stay
in my routine and talk about the wind with my holder.
So yeah, I just kinda do that. And then once

(21:38):
I start taking my steps, that's again like I'm just
like boom, just you step by step into that routine.
And I feel like as long as I'm my brain
is busy with that. I'm not thinking about anxiety, crowd noise.
The pressure of the KIG is just like do this
that you do at practice every day, and it feels

(21:58):
like practice when I'm out there.

Speaker 3 (22:01):
You've talked about the isolation of the job. There is
a lot of training and doing things on your own.
What are the interactions like when you are in a
game situation with your teammates on the field.

Speaker 9 (22:17):
Really there's none until so uh uh. And that's the
way I think, you know it should be. That's the
way I've always liked it. It just kind of may
leave you out by your kicking that just getting ready,
just doing your thing, And the interactions are typically after
I make a kick, you know, just kind of people
come high five to you and and or if I
happen to miss a kick, just a few few words

(22:39):
of encouragement or you know, you get like you know,
we'll keep pointing to get a chance for you to
make the game winning kick, like those kinds of things,
you know. The locker room h everywhere I've been has
been their support, their respect to the I think as
long as you come in and you put in your
work every every day, just like they're putting the work,

(23:01):
you know, less physical, but it's still h you coming
in and being the pro. I think you learned to
respect that way. Your teammates too, Okay, like, don't need
a mess to him, just lead him. We know what
kind of guy he is. I think that that's how
I like it.

Speaker 3 (23:18):
Has there ever been a player that you've come across
that you thought, whoa, he doesn't like me, But then
you do some great like make a game winning field
goal or you make three field goals, and they say, hey, Caro,
what's up. I'm glad you're with us. No I have.

Speaker 9 (23:42):
I mean, there's there's been a couple of teams that
you fill in mid season then they don't really know,
like them even knowing your name. They just know that
you're a new guy. And and after you start hot
and they're making kids, I'm like, oh, really, let me
let me see who that is and talk to him,
get to know them a little more. So it's but no, no,

(24:07):
no jerks out there the Hey, there's probably a lot
of you guys that know light kickers, uh, because how
much you know, it can sometimes depend on them and
they don't forward.

Speaker 8 (24:20):
But they're usually let you be a.

Speaker 3 (24:23):
Bro caral, what would you or what would your older
self your present self say to your younger self about
the preparation of being an NFL kicker.

Speaker 9 (24:40):
That's a that's a actually a grave warm because that's
something that you know. I got off to a good
start in my career in Kansas City, and I got
injured my fourth year. And I think just being your
uh you know, feeling fresh, I just felt like I
could kick a lot of balls at practice and and
I ever feel the consequences of it. But eventually it's

(25:03):
starting to catch up with me because I wasn't my
my regime, my routine wasn't like as like kind of
precise in and dialed in as it is now. Uh
So I would go out, I would just kick a
lot of balls until a lot have confidence and uh
and and that's how I thought it was going to

(25:24):
be the right thing to do. But after injuring your
kick King, I thought I learned a lot of things
along the way just to that just like a lot
of reps doesn't mean that it's going to be a
quality day.

Speaker 8 (25:38):
So I like to just keep.

Speaker 9 (25:40):
It to a level where my body doesn't ever feel
the soreness from kicking, and and I know that I
have less kicks to make make you know everything, so
it makes every kick in your head just you know,
you be dialed in Eiger more and and so you
make every kick so now you don't have to. You know,

(26:01):
now I'll probably kick like thirty balls accept practice. Before that,
I was like fifty sixty balls. So I don't have
the extra amount to keep practicing. So I have to
bring my eight player every day. So that's helped me
a lot, just to take that approaching. I think, you know,

(26:22):
it became it became this way because of the negative, say,
like the injury. But I'm glad you know that I
learned that and possibly share with other kickers. And so
I'm definitely a better kicker because of everything I've learned
along the way.

Speaker 3 (26:39):
You know, the Bears got off to a slow start,
but the last couple of weeks has been certainly a
different vibe I'm sure around the locker room, around the
facility and everywhere in Chicago. What do you think has
changed for the team in these past couple of weeks
and now has them feeling like, Okay, we found our

(27:01):
footing and we're ready to take off.

Speaker 9 (27:06):
Yeah, I think it's that it's just like just finding
kind of what's been working. And I think the level
of trust in everyone has stayed the same, which is
something that is encouraging. And they're all like that I
can say the confess that that the team was not
started point fingers or anybody. That's been just encouraging to

(27:30):
see that. I'm fortunate to be in the leadership council.
The coach louse uh you know, designed that for all
the the entire locker room basically every position. So its
being in those meetings and and just seeing the fight
that everyone just, you know, just with every loss and
just like kept adding to like, you know, I'm going

(27:50):
to keep fighting even more and just to get that
one that the finally that that one way after so
many games, just a way to slip up our shoulders
and to see them like you just to kind of
keep swinging, keep keep chipping that it the last couple
of games has created into our offense and in playing

(28:12):
much better football and be able to find the guys
that we want to find, you.

Speaker 8 (28:16):
Know, so we just want to keep building.

Speaker 3 (28:19):
How has it been seeing the development of your quarterback
just and fields.

Speaker 8 (28:25):
He's special. He's very special.

Speaker 9 (28:28):
I think that Uh, he's he's such a competitor that
he kind of makes it really well.

Speaker 8 (28:36):
He takes it.

Speaker 9 (28:37):
I think puts a lot more pressure on himself than
he needs to think he can just be in unnatural rule,
little free leader like he is. Uh, he'll play with
that swag, I think he. I mean he's he's in
a facility the entire day. You know, one of the
first cars I see in the parking lot, and uh

(28:59):
quarterbacks always one of the last, and always throwing extra
balls at me. So he needs yesh explore all avenues
to uh to play winning football. You know, any anybody
you know, he can. He can be hard on you
when you're not getting the success that you expect. You know,
we all have seen the success that he's capable of.

(29:19):
So it's college and where things are just not clicking. Well,
sometimes it's not really your fault, you know, it's not.

Speaker 8 (29:26):
Really anybody's fault. But he's just kind of the combination
of everything.

Speaker 9 (29:30):
That we just got to do, everybody kind of playing together,
being together to accomplish one goal. So I think it's that.
I think it's it's a great sign how much of
a competitor and how much he cares it, wants to
be himself.

Speaker 8 (29:47):
But then of the day, we got to help him out.
You know, everybody, the.

Speaker 9 (29:51):
Whole building needs to help out everyone, everyone, so so
we can be that the United team.

Speaker 3 (29:59):
Kyrie, you had mentioned it in that being yet that
we just heard about Brazil but potentially hosting an NFL game.
We've seen NFL games in Mexico City, in Germany and London.
What would it mean to you to see an NFL
game in Brazil?

Speaker 9 (30:23):
It would be just I would be so happy for
the fans out there, for the people that since my
college days would follow me in kind of just like
a group of viewers start to kind of get behind
me all the way from college to entering the NFL
and all that.

Speaker 8 (30:41):
I've seen the growth that the audience.

Speaker 9 (30:45):
Has has taken in the past twelve years or so
or more actually so, and I think I'm a part
of that. Being the only Brazilian playing in the NFL.
The success of my camps had to very inspired to

(31:05):
to feel that. And I feel like I go to
a lot of stadiums away and I see a Brazilian flag,
I see people speaking Portuguese calling my name, and I
go over and talk to them signed sign their jerseys,
and they're like, you know.

Speaker 10 (31:20):
So cool.

Speaker 9 (31:21):
Really yeah, I really hope then you make all the kicks,
but you know, I hope do we win. I'm cheering
for you to make all your kicks. And that's that's
cool to hear that, because I feel like the normal
American fan base is not cheering for me, uh you know,
on the away teams or the opponents, but the Brazilians are,
so I'm very appreciative of that, and and I always

(31:45):
be so happy that they got to feel the NFL,
you know, from close, like the fans over here get
to feel. And I would be so uh jealous if
it's not the Bears playing. For sure, I have to
hope you're hope it's a bye week so I can
go over there and check it out because I definitely

(32:06):
want to be a part of it.

Speaker 8 (32:08):
For that moment.

Speaker 3 (32:11):
Initially, when you started kicking, was there skepticism among your
family friends back in Brazil about being a kicker in
the NFL rather than pursuing, say, a career in soccer.

Speaker 9 (32:28):
Yeah, initially, my mom didn't didn't want me to do it.
Because she's I have to show her like videos of
what you know, what American football is. So because I didn't,
I didn't even know, Like I knew it was part
of the American culture when I came to high school
here in the States, but I didn't know there was
even a kicker.

Speaker 8 (32:49):
I didn't know there was that was just like a
rugby type of sport.

Speaker 9 (32:53):
Then you just hit, hit, hit the other until you
get to the end of the field. And once I
learned and explained to them, they actually flew over to
Florida where I went high school to watch a game
with well first and I'm like, okay, like, you'll be
gonna be that guy that gets on the field, kicks

(33:14):
and doesn't get hit. Then that's you can play that
because they knew that my the whole, uh kind of
priority of coming to the States in the first place
was to find a way that I could stay here
and play soccer.

Speaker 8 (33:29):
So they knew that I didn't want me to kind
of risk that.

Speaker 9 (33:33):
Dream because of this football curiosity. But that curiosity became
a passion and became also a dream or the objective,
and so they they supported it once they got past
that how dangerous the sport can be.

Speaker 3 (33:51):
But it also helps that Madden explain the rules for you,
Cairo Riser.

Speaker 9 (34:00):
It did so that that first day that my buddies
in high school convincing to like man.

Speaker 8 (34:06):
When I went to a really small.

Speaker 9 (34:08):
High school, we had twenty kids max twenty three athletes
on the football team, so there was a need for
a guy that could kick a ball. So they saw
me playing soccer first and like, you got a strong shot,
Like you gotta be our kicker. So I went out
to the practice field or after school the one day

(34:28):
and they held for me, told me like, okay, we
watch kickers take three steps back, shoots to the side
and just you know, kick the ball through those pipes.
And I started kicking and like hitting this weight room
that's like forty forty seven yards behind the go post,
and they're like, oh my gosh, like that that was far,

(34:48):
Like keep backing up. So they backed me up all
the way to fifty and I made a fifty yarkfield
goal as the first time kicking the ball as a
sophomore in high school. And the coach came out of
the weight room and who's kicking that? Said the new Brazilian.
The soccer player. He's like, man, you're you're play Friday.

Speaker 8 (35:08):
Uh.

Speaker 9 (35:09):
So I went, I went back home where my host
brother Tyler picked me up from practice. I went back
gold and I said, hey, stop it game stopping and
I wonder buy a maddening game, uh, even though the
rules were if I'm.

Speaker 8 (35:24):
Going to play it.

Speaker 9 (35:25):
So that's how it happened.

Speaker 8 (35:26):
And the Colts.

Speaker 9 (35:27):
Were the highest ranked team, and of course we're going
to play with h the best team.

Speaker 8 (35:33):
And then the Terry was the kicker.

Speaker 3 (35:35):
Sure, and he's the best. Yeah.

Speaker 9 (35:38):
Yeah, So I kind of became, I mean, a Colts fan,
but not really because I played with them. So I
would put on the game on something with my host
family and she's like, oh, I think maybe it's my
quarterback Joseph, And I like, you know all those those guys,
uh h, Harrison, you know all those guys, Dallas Clark.

Speaker 3 (35:58):
Reggie Wayne.

Speaker 9 (36:01):
Yeah, So it was it was super super cool to
kind of follow them at that time where I was like,
I'm just kind of getting involved in football.

Speaker 3 (36:12):
I'll tell you, it's super cool talking to you and
hearing your story. It's inspirational, it's nothing short of amazing,
and we certainly enjoyed this chat a lot on the
l Huddle podcast, Cayro Santos, This was definitely a enlightening
conversation to really kind of get into the ins and
outs of being a kicker, what it means to be

(36:34):
a Brazilian born kicker in the NFL. I hope someday
the dream comes true for you that you get a
chance to kick there in front of the home crowd
in Brazil and Cairo. Thank you again for carving out
this time. Good luck to you and the bears the
rest of the way, and come on back to the podcast.
We love having you on.

Speaker 8 (36:55):
It would be a lot of pleasure.

Speaker 9 (36:56):
I had a lot of fun. Thank you guys for
letting me share my story, shared the mind of a kicker.
Like I said, I had a great time. So to
be back, thank you very much.

Speaker 3 (37:07):
All right, thank you, Caro. I'll give you in a party.

(37:29):
You know.

Speaker 5 (37:29):
I love a George tittle flex moment counting off how
many yeah touched out? I mean, what a game, which,
as I told you, well, I had to watch the
following day because it wasn't one thirty in the morning hereus.

Speaker 3 (37:43):
Because of this morning because the time changed, and then
you mentioned Joe Staley being there for the watch party,
which I assume was for that game, which a lot
of people on TV watched here in the States, and
what a statement of forty nine ers made with that
win over the Cowboys, and Brock pretty yet again precise killing,

(38:06):
it surgical, and he could be talking about a potential
MVP candidate, if not a legit MVP candidate one.

Speaker 5 (38:16):
I feel like, I don't know are people not talking
about I feel like I haven't heard enough Brockberdie praise
and they're reluctant to about it.

Speaker 3 (38:26):
And they're reluctant to right because they think he's got
everything around him everything.

Speaker 5 (38:31):
Five weeks in.

Speaker 3 (38:32):
Yeah, I think he's proven himself. He is more than
proven himself. So him being an MVP candidate, I think
is a real thing, just like with.

Speaker 5 (38:43):
Some at least the conversation if this continues at this pace,
with what he's done now, we have a much bigger
sample size and we know that what he did last year,
coming in clutch when everybody else was hurt was not
a fluke.

Speaker 3 (38:58):
Yeah, no, it was not a fluke at all.

Speaker 5 (39:00):
It is good.

Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yeah, I think I think Brockberdy is so obviously the
driver of this engine with so many weapons. But now
the forty nine Ers still undefeated, as are the Eagles
who came up with that win at Sofi Stadium against
the Rams. They got Dallas Goddard more involved, so welcome
back Dallas Goddard. So that just adds another dimension to

(39:24):
this really deep team. And people go back and forth
because the Eagles have been winning, but it hasn't been
pretty or let's just say, as overwhelming as forty nine
ers wins have been. So what do you what do
you think when you see these two teams?

Speaker 5 (39:42):
Man, I'm looking at their next matchups, right, and like
the question bears asking, are they both still going to
be undefeated next week? I don't know. I feel like
Eagles going up against the Jets, that could be a
sneaky upset game, right, Okay, because of exactly what you
just said. I think we've been wanting to see the
Eagles come out there and just blow folks out of

(40:04):
the world from the jump, right, Like I feel what
I've seen over the last few weeks is that it
takes them a bit to get going, to get warmed up.
Like you watch the first half of these games and
you're like, oh, all right, guys, anytime now. And trust me,
I'm watching closely because Jalen Hurts is my quarterback in
both of my fantasy leagues. An investment into this and
they get the dubs, and of course, like, it doesn't matter.

(40:26):
We'll take an ugly law, an ugly win over a
good loss if that even exists, right, But it does matter.
It does when you think of the bigger picture of
the longevity of the season. I feel like the forty
nine Ers next week, going up against the Browns again,
should win that. Now, not to discount the Brown's defense,
because we know that they are legit, there's something, there's

(40:48):
something for sure. But I just think, in my opinion,
I think the forty nine Ers are the best team in.

Speaker 3 (40:55):
The Yeah, and I think a lot of power rankings
around the league, different publications, et cetera, feel the same
thing with the Eagles right there with them, and the
forty nine Ers have the Browns coming up, and it's
still up in the air whether Deshaun Watson is going
to be a quarterback for them, So that could mean
another week of dtr the rookie going up against really

(41:18):
fierce offense. But there's always that fear of a letdown.
I don't think either of these teams are going to
go undefeated, but I do think that they have to
keep up with each other, especially they are looking ahead
to home field advantage. And these are just stacked rosters.
And we wonder with the Eagles having new offensive coordinators,

(41:41):
new guys there on the d line, and it just
seems like they're not missing a beat. Maybe they skip
it every once in a while, but they're there in
the conversation. Meanwhile, you see what happened with the Cowboys,
and boy, you know, I love Michael Parsons with Dicky's
an incredible athlete player. Love when he speaks out and

(42:04):
protects it, stands up for his fellow football players. But
him coming out saying that he and the Cowboys are
at the same level as the Niners. Now they're not.
This definitely showed it. They are not in that upper
echelon of teams like the forty nine ers and the Eagles.
All right, Premier Manez, that time time again for my berromachos.

(42:29):
All right, yes, you need the effect, you need the
music heading into this little segment that we call Berromacho.
And for me, I've got three of them, one of
them being Max Crosby, friend of this podcast. When we
spoke to him, his energy was infectious. As we saw,

(42:53):
everything's one hundred and twenty miles per hour. And he
absolutely was a disruptive force against the Packers on Monday night,
making life miserable for Jordan. And maybe the numbers don't
stand out as they should, but he certainly made his
presence felt as he always does. He's a disruptor. He's

(43:15):
a guy that gets under your skin. And if you
are a Raiders fan, you love him on your team.
If you are an opposing team, you hate him with
every fiver in your being right because he brings so
much energy and he gets under your skin. So Max Crosby,
he's one of my federal MACHOs. Another federal macho has

(43:36):
to be Aiden Hutchinson of the Lions. That interception that
he had sticking out his paw was nothing short of spectacular.
It was great, and he again was a guy that
was getting after the quarterback, making tackles all over the field.
And talk about a team that has drafted really well
and right now they find themselves not quite in that

(43:58):
tier of the Niners. And the Eagles, but they're certainly
pushing him to get up there, and Campbell has these
guys playing hard. And then the third one was the
guy that we heard from last week who said he
was always bleeping open, like seven to eleven. Mark Chase right,
he actually got the ball a lot, and Joe Burrow

(44:19):
looked like the Joe Burrow of old, the one that
we've been accustomed to see, who was stepping into his throws.
His cap injury didn't seem to bother them all that much,
and he even said after the game he will continue
to be looking for Jamar Chase early and opten And
for them, that win over the Cardinals was a must

(44:39):
win for them, m Jay and I hate saying that
cliche a term, but must win with something that they
need and they did it in dominating fashion. Right.

Speaker 5 (44:49):
I love those I love that you're feeling extra generous today,
but I get it, like there was so much good
action and good football this weekend. Yeah, all worthy of
Beno minds. Can I give one honorary or what is
it honorable mention of? But sure, and it's for an
entire team. Oh the Saints thirty four to nothing against Patriots,

(45:13):
good for you, good for the Saints.

Speaker 3 (45:16):
Cam Jordan's leading the charge right and we love him away.
Oh he's putting me at so great call. I don't
think we've ever had a whole defense. So that's a
that's a betro macho first out of you. Pretty I
like it.

Speaker 5 (45:30):
That's you know what, try new things. We're trying new things,
we're expanding. I love it. I do have a little
bit of Plato power. Love to pass on Latin power.

Speaker 3 (45:46):
I just picture you like cruising down the street with
like the windows roll top top to that music. You know,
you have like one pinky on the bottom of the
steering wheel driving by.

Speaker 5 (45:58):
You're making me so much cooler. But I definitely like
a ten and two safety first, Yeah, it has to be.
I mean we have talked about the Niners in this.
I mean Fred Warder did everything but but sling the

(46:18):
ball yesterday. Unbelievable. He went off And we're not just
saying it because he's a beloved friend of the show.
I think he is objectively a badass, Like that's crazy,
and then the one two punch him and Brock he
deserves all the flowers. The entire team is clicking. There

(46:39):
was I mean, there's just no other choice. I did
promise the Warners that I would make them some platanus,
and I feel like they beat me to it. They
because are you kidding me? Come on?

Speaker 3 (46:53):
Yeah, we we love the friends of the podcast. We
always root for them no matter what our fan allegiance is.
And in that game against the Cowboys, he punched the
ball out, then he gets an interception, then he sacks
Dak Prescott. The thing that was even more oppressive than
all of that. Maybe, and again it doesn't stand out

(47:16):
on a stat sheet, but he was running almost stride
for stride with one of the fastest guys in the league,
with Brandon Cooks. Now the ball was overthrown and yes
he was booking it, and that's what makes him one
of the best linebackers, if not the best linebackers in

(47:37):
the league. And then you add in Dre Greenlaw. Those
two guys remind a lot of people of Patrick Willis
and Navarro Bowman and they playing so yes that that's
that's what I see out of those two guys. So
I love love your blething. No power there shout out
to probably in the middle of that, probably the thing

(48:05):
is like, Okay, this guy's a local, this guy's a wow.

Speaker 5 (48:09):
Breath control is really impressive because for quite.

Speaker 3 (48:14):
A while I love all Right, we are at that
point of the podcast pre med mine not eat pal.
What do you have is you are to eat punto?

Speaker 5 (48:24):
Uh mayapunto? Is that through five weeks of the season.
If you're not entertained, I can't help you.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (48:33):
This has been some of the wildest football. We've seen,
some of the most impressive football that we've seen, and
we've gotten things we didn't ask for, I know, Jet
and we got some things that have really solidified teams,
such as the forty nine ers of the Eagles. So
I'm excited to see what's ahead. I know a lot
of folks are like, oh, it's so early in the season. Yes,

(48:56):
there's still a lot of football, but we have played
enough football, I think, thus far to really understand who
many of these teams are and what their identity is
and what they are going to do for the rest
of the year.

Speaker 3 (49:07):
Not barring love it, my bunto is speedy recoveries to
all the stars of the league who suffered major injuries.
We know Milano is out for the season, which is
just awful. Because again he was a driver in that offense,
you know, to Davius White. We've seen a lot of
these big names go down to injury. You just hope

(49:31):
that they eventually come back on the field and are
better than they were before. And that goes also for
some of these offensive stars that we've grown accustomed to
seeing scoreboard. Justin Jefferson for sure, going to be out
with that hamstring injury. You hate to see it. Deval
A Chan as well with the knee injury. You hate

(49:52):
to see that because he was having such an awesome
rookie campaign. And so you just hope for those guys,
James Connor as well, that they get back on the
field sooner than later. So guys, get better. We miss you.
And speaking of missing youmana missing you. Miss you. Guys.

(50:14):
You are the best and you seem to be in
your element over there enjoying London and everything about it.
Please keep enjoying it. Have fish and chips for me
whatever it is people out there, Yes, say what's up
to the people out there? And if you sing sweet Caroline,
which it sounds like you'll do it again, are you

(50:34):
gonna be doing it again? So? Uh, think of me?
As you're as you're trying to hit that high octave.

Speaker 5 (50:39):
I'll try, I'll try. Maybe we'll send me your recording
and i'll just play your voice.

Speaker 3 (50:46):
I don't know.

Speaker 5 (50:49):
All right, Well, I'll be back for the next one.

Speaker 3 (50:52):
Soil Yeah, Okay, you're the best. And wherever you hear us,
download us like subscribe one here for you.

Speaker 6 (51:03):
This is the ludule podcast to have yours everybody.

Speaker 1 (51:06):
Yes in Huddle is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the

(51:30):
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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